Technologies

feeding the future

Startup applications are now open!

400

Challengers

6

Tracks

60

Finalists

1

Winner
New Proteins
New proteins
Enhancing well-being via nutrition
Enhancing well-being via nutrition
Food transparency, safety & security
Food transparency, safety & security
Fighting food waste battle
Fighting food waste battle
Digital from farm to fork
Digital from farm to fork
Regenerative agriculture
Regenerative agriculture

Showcase your business, gain visibility, and build new partnerships 

At Food Tech Challengers, we are on a mission to pinpoint the most game-changing solutions that will transform the way we produce and consume food. If your company creates disruptive solutions, this is your chance to put your product or service in the spotlight.

Food Tech Challengers provides startups from all over the globe a unique opportunity to take center stage, gain global media exposure, and showcase their solutions to a distinctive panel of 100+ investors, industry leaders and experts.

To enter, startups must be innovators in one of the six tracks fostering the food tech innovation – New Proteins, Enhancing well-being via nutrition, Food transparency, safety & security, Fighting food waste battle, Digital from farm to fork, and Regenerative agriculture.

60 finalists. 1 Winner

TOP-60 companies (10 in each track) are shortlisted by a distinguished panel of industry experts from global corporations, venture capitals, ecosystem builders and media partners.

All finalists are invited to pitch live at Food Tech Congress 2024, the leading industry conference of the year. Taking place on May 29 – 30, 2024 in Warsaw, Poland, the event offers invaluable networking opportunities and media exposure. 

One company is announced the Ultimate Winner of Food Tech Challengers 2024.

Timeline

1

Application
deadline

February 19, 2024

2

Top 60
announced

March 1, 2024

3

Top 60
pitches

May 29 – 30, 2024 @
Food Tech Congress

4

Top 6 pitches & Winner
announced

May 29 – 30, 2024 @
Food Tech Congress

Timeline

1

Application
deadline

February 19, 2024

2

Top 60
announced

March 1, 2024

3

Top 60
pitches

May 29 – 30, 2024 @ Food Tech Congress

4

Top 6 pitches & Winner
announced

May 29 – 30, 2024 @ Food Tech Congress

Why join Food Tech Challengers?

Unparalleled
Networking

All finalists are granted a complimentary ticket to Food Tech Congress 2024, taking place in Warsaw, Poland on May 29 – 30, 2024. Over 800 industry visionaries will gather to share disruptive ideas and network with a group of peers. This is your perfect chance to network and hold 1:1 meetings with the key players in food and agri tech.

Remarkable
Jury Members

Present your ground-breaking solution in front of a remarkable jury comprising the representatives of top notch venture capitals and corporations. This annual competition is designed to empower entrepreneurs and help them build new partnerships that will lead to future industry breakthroughs.

Brand
Exposure

Do not miss out on the opportunity to share your brand’s story with a global audience of over 800 attendees. Food Tech Challengers also welcomes journalists from the world’s leading media companies to give your company unparalleled reach.

Startup applications are now open

Application to the FTC is entirely free and each finalist company (60 in total/10 per track) are granted 1 complimentary ticket to Food Tech Congress 2024. May the odds be in your favour!

Food Tech Challengers 2023 highlights

Winners of 2023

Ultimate
Challenger

Through cutting-edge sensor technology and innovative cloud solutions, PLAATO makes real-time fermentation insights available to breweries, cideries, and distilleries around the world; enabling them to take productivity, profitability, and product quality to the next level.

TOP 6 Challengers

MedBiome develops Precision Microbiome Therapeutics and Precision Microbiome Nutrition products that modulate the production of specific metabolites produced by the human gut microbiome.

Mill It is an innovative plant-based company that offers first organic vegan buttermilk, used to make organic plant-based salad dressings that are half the fat and calories of the leading brands.

Umami Meats is cultivating the future of sustainable seafood by crafting delicious, nutritious, affordable cultivated fish that is better for health, oceans, and our planet.

Through cutting-edge sensor technology and innovative cloud solutions, PLAATO makes real-time fermentation insights available to breweries, cideries, and distilleries around the world; enabling them to take productivity, profitability, and product quality to the next level.

NoPalm Ingredients produces local, circular and sustainable alternatives to palm oil. It is produced by oil-producing yeast that grow-on/ferment AgriFood sidestreams.

Meet the jury

Gil Horsky

Gil Horsky

Founding Partner @ FLORA Ventures

Signe Causse

Signe Causse

Global Innovation Marketing Leader, Re-Imagine Wellness @ IFF

Shankar Shubhang

Shankar Shubhang

Managing Director @ Syngenta Group Ventures

Nigel Hughes

Nigel Hughes

Senior Vice President Global R&D and Innovation @ Kellogg

Henrietta Hearth

Henrietta Hearth

Vice President @ Big Idea Ventures

Jelena Erker

Jelena Erker

Associate Director in the Agribusiness @ EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

Brett Brohl

Brett Brohl

Managing Partner @ Bread and Butter Ventures

Nikolaus Raupp

Nikolaus Raupp

Investment Manager @ HTGF (High-Tech Gründerfonds Management)

Alexander Wiegelmann

Alexander Wiegelmann

General Partner @ KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA

Marie Asano

Marie Asano

Partner @ ECFB (European Circular Bioeconomy Fund)

Madhusudan Patel

Director, New Ventures & Tech Scouting Global R&D @ IFF

Piotr Grabowski

Piotr Grabowski

Co-Founder @ Foodtech.ac

Micol Chiesa

Micol Chiesa

Investor and Head of responsible investing @ Five Seasons Ventures

Paul Benjamin

Paul Benjamin

Director @ BloombergNEF

Catherine Trillo-Blanco

Catherine Trillo-Blanco

Global Health Acceleration Director @ Symrise

Sven Janssen

Dr Sven Janssen

Partner and Managing Director @ TMF Growth

Kristen Rocca

Kristen Rocca

Principal @ Unovis Asset Management

Gonzalo Perez

Gonzalo Perez-Taiman

Managing Director @ Arpegio

Florence Dusseaux

Florence Dusseaux

Food Consulting - Vegan Expert @ vegg2food

Giancarlo Addario

Giancarlo Addario

Principal @ Five Seasons Ventures

Michael Betz

Dr Michael Betz

Head of Food Technology @ Handtmann

Jurgen Sonneborn

Jurgen Sonneborn

Senior Advisor Foreign Direct Investment Food @ Oost NL

Florian Herkner

Florian Herkner

Global Platform Manager - Plant-based Business Incubation Group Symrise @ Symrise

Ivaylo Simov

Ivaylo Simov

Managing Partner @ Eleven Ventures

Jordi Ràfols Fernández

Jordi Ràfols Fernández

CEO @ Innoget

Kim Odhner

Kim Odhner

Managing Partner Europe and Asia @ Unovis Asset Management

Dr. Roger Wyse

Dr. Roger Wyse

Venture Capitalist, Founder & Managing Partner @ Spruce Capital Partners

Julian Melchiorri

Julian Melchiorri

Founder & CEO @ Arborea

Mariliis Holm

Mariliis Holm

Co-Founder & Partner @ Sustainable Food Ventures

Silla Scheepens

Silla Scheepens

Partner @ Future Food Fund

Kip Stringfellow

Kip Stringfellow

Venture Partner @ VU Venture Partners

Jaroslav Trojan

Jaroslav Trojan

Managing Partner @ Nation 1 VC

Rim Elijah

Rim Elijah

VP of Sales @ EOS Data Analytics

Annina Winkler

Annina Winkler

Investment Manager - Food & Agriculture @ Emerald Technology Ventures

Inbar Maymon-Pomeranchik

Inbar Maymon-Pomeranchik

Co-Founder & CEO @ AgChimedes

Beatriz Jacoste

Beatriz Jacoste

Director @ KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub

Pia Laguna

Pia Laguna

Climate Tech Investor @ World Fund

Iris ten Have

Iris ten Have

Head of Science @ Extantia

Danny O’Brien

Danny O’Brien

Managing Director EMEA & Global Programs @ SVG Ventures

Kasia Gil

Kasia Gil

Analyst Food and Agriculture @ Icos Capital

Matt Jensen

Matt Jensen

Investor @ G2 Venture Parners

Peter Schmetz

Peter Schmetz

Investment Manager @ Vorwerk Ventures

Carole Bingley

Carole Bingley

Technical Specialist @ RSSL (Reading Scientific Services)

Nemanja Grgic

Nemanja Grigic

Technical Cooperation Manager, Agribusiness @ EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

John Carrigan

John Carrigan

Investment Director @ The Yield Lab

Alice Brown

Alice Brown

Senior Associate, Climate and Sustainability @ Global Counsel

Matthew Tebeau

Matthew Tebeau

Chief Operational Officer @ Proteonpharma

Jowita Sewerska

Jowita Sewerska

Investment Director @ European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF)

Michał Piosik

Michał Piosik

Co-Founder @ Foodtech.ac

Albrecht Wolfmeyer

Albrecht Wolfmeyer

International Head @ ProVeg Incubator

Rebecca Brill

Rebecca Brill

Investor @ Rvent

Bhakavadee Viseshakul

Bhakavadee Viseshakul

Open Innovation Manager @ CPF Food Research and Development Center

Christopher Aurand

Christopher Aurand

Open Innovation Leader @ Thai Union

Mark Daly

Mark Daly

Head of Technology & Innovation @ Bloomberg NEF

Kostas Valaris

Kostas Valaris

VC @ Extantia Capital

Julian Klaiber

Julian Klaiber

Investment Assosiate @ Munich VP

Nicolaus Norden

Nicolaus Norden

Investment Analyst @ Food Labs

Brought to you by

Food Tech Challengers is brought to you by Futurae Media, a global event organiser fostering innovation across multiple industries like Energy and Mobility, Food and Agriculture, Healthcare, and Urban Tech.

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